Sandusky’s pension revoked by Pa. retirement system

Published: Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012 10:14 a.m. CST

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (MCT) — Jerry Sandusky’s sex crimes against children means he has to forfeit his $59,000 a year state pension.

Pennsylvania’s State Employees’ Retirement System is revoking his pension, effective Tuesday, the day he was sentenced to 30 to 60 years behind bars in a state prison. Sandusky’s attorney was notified Wednesday of the decision.

The pension system determined that Sandusky was a public employee when he committed sex crimes against two boys who were high school students in Clinton and Mifflin counties, Victims 1 and 9.

The crimes, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and indecent assault, fall under the state’s pension forfeiture statute that was a revision in 2004 that included sex crimes against students.

Sandusky’s wife, Dottie, was designated to receive half his pension in the event of his death, but the pension board revoked that, too.

Sandusky attorney Joe Amendola said he received the notification from SERS Wednesday afternoon.

“We’re reviewing the SERS’ paperwork and anticipate we will oppose the state’s action to revoke Jerry’s pension,” he said.

SERS said Sandusky had “a prominent and regular relationship” with Penn State between his retiring in 1999 and 2011. That made him a “de facto” employee, SERS said, even though he was not on the payroll.

The letters notifying the Sanduskys of the pension forfeiture listed 47 facts that contributed to SERS decision. Included were the former coach’s numerous appearances on behalf of Penn State, an agreement university officials signed to further the collaboration between university athletics and The Second Mile charity he founded, and his volunteering with Central Mountain High School’s football team.

He received a lump sum of $148,271.71 upon his retirement in 1999 and started getting $4,615.11 each month.

In July 2004, SERS made a cost-of-living adjustment that bumped his pension up to $4,908.17 a month.

He was an active SERS member from March 1969 to the end of June 1999.

Sandusky was earning an average of $101,787 when he retired.

Sandusky has 30 days to dispute the revocation with the State Employees’ Retirement Board.